Compare towns
Amesbury vs Nelson vs Plainville vs Danvers
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Amesbury has the most renters (31.4% rent).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Danvers has the most expensive homes ($644k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Amesbury | Nelson | Plainville | Danvers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,403 |
648Lowest |
9,943 |
28,098Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+20.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.7±1.7 12% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
43.2±3.6 11% above U.S. |
45.3±3Highest 16% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.3%±4 U.S.: 22% |
17.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Nelson and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±2.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Nelson and Danvers are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.3%±2.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Plainville and Amesbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,554±$12k 28% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$104,106±$13k 29% above U.S. |
$125,395±$10kHighest 55% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $519,300±$32k 56% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49kLowest about the U.S. average |
$476,000±$35k 43% above U.S. |
$644,200±$23kHighest 94% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,683±$115 19% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,977±$197 40% above U.S. |
$2,076±$192Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Danvers and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,360Highest 136% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
$5,329Lowest 71% above U.S. |
$6,654 113% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 66.7%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±13.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.8%±8.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Amesbury and Plainville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
70.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1963Lowest 17 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 8% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 10% above U.S. |
28 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.9%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #151 of 282 in MA | — | #102 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Amesbury | Nelson School District | Plainville | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers |
| High school in town | Amesbury High | None in town | None in town | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Lowest |
— | — | 12.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.